Great Saltpetre Cave Open House Weekend

On April 15, 2024   /    
Great Saltpetre Cave Open House Weekend

The next Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve Open House is:

Saturday, May 18, 2024 – 10am to 3:30pm
Sunday, May 19, 2024 – 10am to 3:30pm.

(Note: The Open House is always the weekend after Mother’s Day.)

Great Saltpetre Cave was a significant source of saltpeter for gunpowder during the War of 1812. (Note: “saltpetre” is the old spelling.)
The property has been an important part of the Rockcastle County community. Join us for:

  • Guided tours of the Cave.
  • Free soup beans and corn bread.
  • Food concession stand operated by the Livingston Fire Department.
  • Souvenir concession stand.
  • Miles of hiking trails.
  • Bring a picnic lunch.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Bring the whole family for a great day of interesting fun. The free cave tours last 45 to 60 minutes. The cave has electric lights. The cave floor is generally flat.  Dress for the cave environment – comfortable shoes and a sweat shirt. The cave is 57 degrees year-round. Bring a flashlight, if you wish.

Admission is free, but donations to the Preserve are always appreciated!

Special Note!
Due to several unfortunate problems at Open House 2023, please leave your pets and horses at home. Thank You.

   See us on facebook at: www.facebook.com/thegreatsaltpetrecave/.

Directions:

I-75 to Exit 59 (Mt Vernon/Livingston).  Go East on Route 25 for about 100 yards.
Turn Left onto route 1004, continue on route 1004 about 4 miles
until it comes to a “T” (Just past RR tracks and cement bridge).
Turn right and continue about 5 miles farther to the Great Saltpetre Preserve.

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The Great Saltpetre Cave Open House

On April 17, 2023   /    
The Great Saltpetre Cave Open House
Open House weekend is the one time each year that the preserve is open to anyone to stop by for a tour of The Great Saltpetre Cave.
We’ll be open both Saturday and Sunday (May 20-21st) from 10am with the last tour starting at 4pm – no reservations – drop in anytime between then.

Join us for:
Free guided tours of the cave
Free soup beans and cornbread
A food concession stand operated by the Livingston Vol. Fire & Rescue
A souvenir concession stand
Friendly conversation under the shelter

The cave has electric lights and is walkable featuring a generally flat floor and wide open spaces (outside of the optional ‘Pinch Em Tight Alley’). Dress for the cave environment is comfortable shoes and a light jacket (the cave is 57°F year round), and the tour last one hour.
Admission is free but donations to assist with the preservation and upkeep of the cave and preserve are always appreciated!
Accessibility: Handicap parking is provided with a gravel path to the cave entrance, with an accessible toilet facility off the path. While slightly bumpy, the majority of the cave can be maneuvered through in a wheelchair, walker, or stroller including the often pictured Echo Auditorium.
Those wearing baby carriers are able to navigate 95% of the cave (all but Pinch Em Tight Alley). In all cases a volunteer is happy break off from the group and navigate you back to the entrance.
The Great Saltpetre Cave is on the National Register of Historic Places and just like other caves, smoking, vaping, spitting, littering, writing on the cave walls, disturbing wildlife, and taking anything out of the cave (with the exception of trash – we like that!) are not only frowned upon, but illegal as well. Animals, with the exception of service animals, are not permitted in the cave.
Open House occurs rain or shine, with the exception of severe weather in which case we’ll post an update here.
If you’re traveling a fair distance to visit there are a handful of campgrounds in the area.
Please do not wear flip flops.
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